Nottingham to Hold Women in Music Event to Tackle Inequality in the Music Industry

Taking place at Rescue Rooms on the 7th of March the event will address the gender imbalance in the music industry with the aim of creating an environment for discussion and a platform for positive change.

A survey conducted by UK Music Diversity Taskforce showed that women working within the industry make up 60 percent of all interns; 59 percent of entry-level business roles but only 30 percent of senior executive positions. The ‘glass ceiling’ continues to be an issue in the music industry while some particular areas such as sound engineers, venue managers and promoters are highly male dominated.

The Women in Music event is open to people of all genders and at all levels of their careers. The evening will feature a keynote interview and panels discussing what challenges women currently face; what businesses can do to improve diversity and look at what is being done currently to drive change.

The event is split across two panels with the first panel focusing on Women in Live Music and the second focusing on Advocates for Change. The full line up is featured below:

Panel 1: Women in Live Music

The live side of the music industry is well-known for being particularly male-dominated. Women on the road and running venues are far outnumbered by their male counterparts. Hear from women who have navigated their way to the top of their fields.

Interview: Verity Cowley (BBC Nottingham) in conversation with Nina Smith (singer-songwriter), currently BBC Introducing Artist of the Week receiving airplay across 40 BBC radio stations and releasing her first single this week.

Panel 2: Advocates for Change

What do we want the industry to look like and what can be done to implement change? Our panellists have forged successful careers whilst using their platforms to speak out on important issues.

George Akins from DHP Family, has said: “It’s really important to try and encourage more women to break into our industry. Nottingham is a hot bed for music companies; we have promoters, record companies, ticket agents and talent managers working across all genres of music on a national level. I really believe if we can address the imbalance in Nottingham it will have a strong effect across the country. Hopefully this event will show that there are roles and support for more women to get involved.”

Tickets are £5 or £3 for students or those on benefits / low income, with all proceeds being donated to Equation, a Nottinghamshire charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse and sexual violence.